Al,You're the only person I've seen even toss out the idea of Braun to 1B next season.You were also the only person to mention Parra to the Brewers before it happened. Sounds like Doug wanted Reed too, which would have been exactly what you said would be a match. Good work. Keeps me coming back for more. UL

Another terrible call at home plate, runner called safe because catcher was blocking the plate...however, he had the ball. Eric Byrnes just said they need to use the double base like they do in softball. Right now, the guys in NYC are as clueless as it gets, inconsistent and no idea.

Of course, if Doug has even thought about the possibility of Braun to 1B in '15, he would not say anything until he discusses it with Ryan, and he agrees to it. So, we won't have any idea until at some point in the offseason.

It is very possible that while the Brewers may not wish to offer arby to Parra (or Estrada, for that matter), they could always trade them to a team that does. However, since a team could await and sign him as a free agent, their trade value is quite limited.

If you'll recall, the Brewers traded Badenhop rather than offering him arby, since they had several cheaper options.

We didn't really worry about next year as much as we're trying to get to the postseason now," Melvin said.--MLB.com

Parra will not return, in my opinion, unless they plan on him being a starting OF (or the strong half of a platoon). No way they want to pay $6M for a 4th OF. Doug came about as far from making a commitment to '15 as he could.

Offhand, I'd say this is insurance against an injury to an OF, and a slight upgrade to late inning PH.

I'm sure this was a postseason move, but I don't see it. Most folks have no idea if they throw 70 IP the rest of the way, it's a 7 run difference. TB is better today, for this season even, as Franklin is probably far more than 7 runs better than their current 2B Forsythe.

I agree completely. A's and Tigers look very tough, but in a short series, who knows...you'll remember Sabathia lost a game in the division series in '08, and he was all but perfect the whole second half.

Some people are saying that young players are not worth as much as they once were.

Au contraire.

{That was my attempt at being classy. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to have a burping contest with the Rambling son.}

I think the inclusion of major league players in so many trades means that prospects (and in the Brewers' case, young guys like Scooter, Khris, and Jimmy) are worth even more...teams like the Cards decided to move Allen Craig and Joe Kelly instead of Tavares, Martinez, and Miller.

A decent, solid but far from spectacular FA costs $6-10M a year. You need a bunch of minimum salary, or near minimum salary guys to balance that out. Kids are extremely valuable, and continue to be.

I'm not a contrarian because I think like others do. They aren't thinking deeply enough, in my opinion.

After making the best deal of the day, picking up a solid rotation piece in Tommy Millone for reserve OF Sam Fuld (who was DFA'd by the A's a few months ago), the Twins extend Kurt Suzuki to a too long, too much contract, despite the fact they have a very good catching prospect Josmil Pinto.

1. This is why Gleeman hates being a Twins' fan.

2. Remember in Moneyball, when Beane traded Jeremy Giambi for nothing because he "wasn't mad enough about losing?" Simply put, he just did not want Millone around anymore, so he got a nice role player and moved on.

CORRECTED BELOW: Austin Jackson and Drew Smyly will go to the Mariners, with Nick Franklin heading to Tampa.--MLBTR

Wow.
Jackson pulled from CF in the 7th with the bases loaded. Leaves to a standing ovation, smart fans knowing it's the deadline. I would have to imagine Austin was probably near tears if he was happy in DET.

EDIT: Rosenthal saying Smyly is headed to TB.That makes sense, as there's no way Price was dealt for one prospect, albeit an excellent one.

EDIT 2: Smyly and Franklin to TB, Jackson to SEA.

EDIT 3: Phil Rogers reporting top SEA prospect Tujuan Walker is in the trade. Rogers is a noted clown, so we'll see.

Interesting because Jeter is NY's SS, even though his defense is, at best, below average. Drew will likely play 2B part of the time, and while that should be a simple transition, tough to do so midseason.

Yankees believe Drew can play 2B/SS/3B, wanted him last offseason, per MLBTR.

I would assume Reed, Parra, Perez, Thatcher, or something like that. ARI has said Ziegler is unavailable, though that may not be true.

I can always hope Tony Campana is a throw in, as I love his ability to steal bases at a 90% clip.

EDIT: KTAR is reporting it is Gerardo Parra. That seems a bit odd, as he will start on the bench, is making a ton of cash (though only about $1.6M prorated the rest of the way), and will make $6-7M next year if offered arby. I can understand them wanting a reserve OF/bench bat, but...

They just said on MLBN that OAK gave Tommy Millone for Sam Fuld, so I guess maybe the price of a backup OF went up overnight.

EDIT 3:As for how the Crew will use Parra, I assume he will take Schafer's spot on the roster and basically assume the same role, perhaps picking up a start or two a week versus a tough RHP.

As for the future, we'll have to see if next season is mentioned right away or not by the braintrust...I would assume this is not just a rental, given the fact Haniger projects at least to be a major league role player, and has a ceiling of an everyday OF.

If so, it is not difficult to imagine Parra not at least being a platoon player next season, given his expected $6M+ arby reward. Davis is cheap and league average, though his arm is certainly weak. Gomez has blossomed into a star and is signed to a contract which pays him about half his current market value. Braun, despite being challenged by back and thumb injuries, is producing and still the face of the franchise. Given his long term deal and past transgressions, his trade value remains a fraction of what it should be. Does this open up the possibility of Braun to 1B in '15? Possibly. He has turned himself into a decent OF, and probably would be a very passable 1B, though there will be the prerequisite growing pains.

EDIT 4: All the MLBN guys like Parra, but none mention his down season, or the fact he will not step into a starting spot in MIL (I guess I should say barring another trade).

EDIT 5: Schafer to AAA, Thornburg to 60 day DL to make room for Parra.

The Brewers seem to match up well with the DBacks...I'm sure Doug covets Reed, a big, hard throwing RHP, who has seasons of team control remaining. While Parra is well overpaid for a reserve, he could be nontendered (or possibly dealt) this winter, and he is a Gold Glove caliber OF, able to play all three spots.

I would say Reed is worth 2-3 good prospects...just below the Nelson level. Taking Parra too and paying him might lessen the price slightly.

EDIT: Almost all of Reed's '14 "struggles" have occurred vs. RH hitters. Strange.

I think most overestimate what Zobrist is worth...he's a very player, but the Crew got Hairston for a AA singles hitter. Every time I see Ben play, I always think the same thing...his value is as a 2B/SS/3B that is an above average hitter. Yet, he often plays LF/RF...where he's just another guy.

If Brewers were 10 under instead of 10 over, Yo might be the "hottest" pitcher on the market...Zach Duke may bring back a solid prospect (if Zach can keep up a 1 ERA for 60 more games, he might get 2y/$8-10M as a FA)...Weeks would be an upgrade for a few contenders...KRod would be worth a couple decent prospects instead of one like last year...Ramirez would be by far the best 3B on the market...Reynolds would be a cost effective option for many teams looking for RH power.

I think we all prefer it this way, but that would be interesting too. I really enjoyed last season, as it felt like I was the only person who noticed the Crew played at a 82-83 win pace the last 2/3rd;s of the season. This year, when I said I saw they were slightly improved and predicted 85 wins, casuals didn't get it.

Two things here; one, few folks realize that there are many EPL soccer fans in the US, and that these exhibitions are treated as "special," while it's just another baseball game. It should also be noted that many people don't even know where Fox1 is on their dial.

The only thing keeping her and many others out of prison is the incredible corruptness of the entire administration. When a lawbreaker such as Holder decides who gets charged, lefty buddies don't get charged.

What do groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda and even Hamas want? They want
to impose their religious views on the rest of humanity. They want
stifle every freedom that decent, educated, secular people care about.
This is not a trivial difference. And yet judging from the level of
condemnation that Israel now receives, you would think the difference
ran the other way.

This kind of confusion puts all of us in danger. This is the great
story of our time. For the rest of our lives, and the lives of our
children, we are going to be confronted by people who don’t want to live
peacefully in a secular, pluralistic world, because they are desperate
to get to Paradise, and they are willing to destroy the very possibility
of human happiness along the way. The truth is, we are all living in
Israel. It’s just that some of us haven’t realized it yet.

Read the whole thing. It's why I support Israel. They do nothing except defend itself from terrorist attacks from religious nuts.

We buy most "ingredients" generic, as we all know the same factory that's packaging up lettuce, cheese, and sour cream are, in effect, just changing labels/brands at some point. I've worked with people who have confirmed this with cheese and bottled water. However, if you have a favorite brand of mac and cheese, or yogurt, it's probably worth a little more to ensure you enjoy it.

I think they should play 12 innings, and then each team starts the 13th with the bases loaded. And yes, of course, the playoffs would go back to being "normal."

That would actually be nearly perfect, as if a team still had their closer left, they would use him then.

You know what's funny? Fans would LOVE it. The MLBN would cut to any game if it got to the 13th and the studio guys would overanalyze it, using the words "gritty," "scrappy," and "heart" every time a blooper fell in.

Jose Tabata was pulled from his game as it was announced Lester was not going to start tomorrow. Appears likely he is part of the package along with a highly ranked prospect or two.

PIT has 5-6 highly ranked players, but as often happens, they get impatient and struggle to wait for them to mature. This is another reason why I think the Cubs will be so good for so long...Theo is not rushing anyone, and has the clout to do it "the right way."

BAbip in mostly a luck stat, and as with Garza's one out start, bad luck keeps a pitcher from being successful. I would guess his walks may be up and K's down as well, so put those facts together, you're not going to have success.

The Cards' fan guy on MLBN today said hoped SL didn't do anything, as they've had sustained success keeping their kids and playing them. I would tend to agree. I have no problem trading blocked prospects and guys not in the top ten, which is usually lower level players several years away or players that project as reserves, platoon options, or relievers.

As I have said before, I would save the "blockbuster" for a situation like the A's...they feel secure with their team being one of the top three, they are looking to add for the playoffs. That's how I've always looked at the KRod trade as well, as the Crew was looking solid.

As good as Gomez is on D, I think Schafer is every bit as good...just doesn't have the blazing speed of Carlos.

I said Gomez would sign a huge contract eventually, and I said it when he was in a platoon with Morgan, so many "wanna bes" laughed at me. I don't think Logan will ever hit for power, but I see him as a starting CF for a few seasons.

1. Yes, I do feel a bit dirty. That said, LeAnn Rimes is rather attractive, and I don't have to deal with her...eccentric behavior.

2. LeAnn is better looking now than she has ever been. Probably because she's not so damn boney anymore.

3. Eddie, despite being a sleazeball that chooses his women based solely on their looks and lack of ethical life habits, seems like a pretty nice guy. However, given the episode featured him being offered a job on the new Dallas show, and then turning it down because it filmed in Dallas, away from his kids in LA, you'd have to be pretty gullible not to believe this was heavily scripted.

4. So, while Eddie was made to appear like Father Knows Best in real life, LeAnn, despite obviously being aware of the cameras, acts like a spoiled teen; making fun of patrons of a gay country bar, drinking too much, and just reminding me that while she's gorgeous, there's a reason why she was available.

{The irony there is, both were married to others when they met, and when their relationship inevitably ends, I will pretend to be surpised, because it's the polite thing to do.}

This may be the stupidest piece I've ever linked to...and remember, I often link to parody accounts. It just goes to show you that being in the old media doesn't make you smarter.

No one asked me, but there's no way I'd move Nelson for a rental. I wouldn't move him for Price if I were GM, but if I were GM, I might feel differently because I'd actually have to keep Mark A happy.

The Dodgers have a payroll of $14 bizillion, and they won't trade either of their top two guys for two months, or even a whole season of a good player. That alone should tell you how valuable those guys are.

Overall, the Brewers still rank second in the National League in runs
scored, trailing only the Rockies. They have been held to fewer than
three runs 32 times in 107 games, tied with the Dodgers for second
fewest such low-scoring games among NL clubs.--Adam, MLB.com

Writing like this is why Adam is not just the best, but the only one I don't feel dumber after reading.

I would be far more likely to make a move for the short term if they were several games in front and heavy favorites for a playoff spot. Right now, while any playoff spot is coveted, I'd hate to trade six plus years of team control for a rental...for a chance at a one game crapshoot.

Things I have learned: People that post some sort of gif (that's a type of picture file for you tech illiterates) as a response are so ignorant, they think that is better than an infinite selection of words they could have chosen.

Something I've learned...people that say, "that's more of an offseason trade" are trying to convince you they are far smarter than they are. Considering Greinke was traded once in the offseason, and once at midseason, for very similar returns; it's really stupid to say such a thng.

Nick Delmonico has been suspended for 50 games for violating MLB's Drug Prevention and Treatment program.--Brewers

Let's hope he gets his house in order. As for me, I told you so. And you clowns that emailed and said I should not spread rumors, "personal issues" don't mean their girlfriend has broken up with them. It means...something serious.

The Brewers are one of the teams who have asked about Price, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports. A source tells Rosenthal that the Crew just put their “foot in the water”
of the Price sweepstakes, so it remains to be seen if Milwaukee was
making a due diligence move or if they have a deeper interest. As
Rosenthal notes, the Brewers would be “a long shot” to end up with Price
given the relative lack of depth in their farm system (especially
compared to the Cardinals and other teams connected to Price) and their
ability to afford Price’s possible $20MM salary through arbitration in
2015.--MLBTR

Never hurts to check. As I said, Price would require Nelson, plus probably either Gennett or Davis. I don't see it.

EDIT: I saw one guess that an offer of Nelson, Thornburg, and a top prospect in the low minors would get it done. That is not as much as we've seen bandied about in rumors for Price, but those are not done deals either. One could argue Street brought more back that that, as well.
The thought I keep having is "what are the odds Price outperforms Nelson the rest of this year?" I would say it's around 65%, but that's 35% against, and then you figure in that Price will cost $15M more...certainly not worth it if he barely outpitches him.

Wooten has had four one inning outings in AAA since he went down, and has had two scoreless outings...and given up three runs in one and four runs in the other. It could just be mental, as he did not pitch badly at all in MIL, but he can't even be considered depth right now.

If they needed a reliever tomorrow, they'd probably go with Fiers, with Figaro and Blazek as options.

I have Nelson, Taylor, and Haniger as my top three; with Arcia and Williams close behind. I don't rank the players just drafted yet. I would have the top three as untouchable, and I certainly wouldn't move the others for two months of a role player. If a team controlled reliever like Josh Fields were to become available, I'd move anyone except the top three.

The Brewers, who are in first place in the NL Central, have a bullpen
piece (preferably lefthanded) high on their priority list. They would
love
Andrew Miller, but might settle for
Craig Breslow. The Brewers would add a starting pitcher if the price was right.--Boston Globe

A couple weeks ago, the Brewers were rumored to be interested in Jake Peavy, and Doug made the rare step to say "he had no idea where that rumor started." Not only was it a slap in the face to Jimmy Nelson, who had just been called up to join the rotation, but i they wanted a SP who was having an off year with a 5 ERA, they could have just put Marco back in.

This is every bit as strange. The Brewers didn't even have a LH reliever in 2011, and the bullpen was outstanding. Now, the Crew has three of them, Will Smith and two guys with a sub 2 ERA...and they want another? I could understand Doug telling teams he'd like to add a reliever, and didn't care which arm they throw with, as long as they can get hitters from both sides out (not a loogy, so to speak).

Miller is an outstanding reliever, while Breslow has always been used as a loogy...though his career numbers are almost identical versus LH/RH.

The Astros have a handful of relievers to market this July, including Qualls, Josh Fields, and Tony Sipp. The Houston Chronicle’s Evan Drellich reports that the trio of relievers continue to draw plenty of offers.--MLBTR

I've long been a big fan of Fields, who has been solid, but unlucky. 12 K's per 9, average fastball is 94, and is effective against both lefties and righties. He'll be a closer, and a very good one, as soon as someone lets him close.

The Crew almost certainly would have taken him in the Rule 5 last year had HOU not beat them to it.

Jim Henderson struck out all three batters he face in a perfect
inning of relief during the Sounds' 8-1 victory over the Oklahoma City
RedHawks.--JS

If Jim's velocity is back to near '13 levels, Doug will probably only look for a near perfect match in the bullpen. Henderson is not as good as Houston Street, but he costs 8% as much and does not cost the team any prospects.

I think they are looking for a SS who can play other positions, and an OF who can play all three spots and have some pop.

Oregon QB Marcus Mariota doesn't need many more credits to finish his
degree. This fall, he is only taking two classes: golf and yoga.--ESPN

Bret Valentyn's last semester was after he had graduated, so he only took a single class. I find it difficult to believe that the NCAA, which has approximately infinity minus one rules in place, almost all of which are in place for no reason except to punish athletes, allows student athletes to not take a full load of classes.

In the past week or so, my Twitter feed has been overloaded with folks "looking for peace" in the Middle East and blaming Israel for deaths in Gaza.

I appreciate these posts, because it allows me to remove ignorant, hippie, Occupy leftover, anti Semites from my timeline. How one expects Israel to ignore the fact their cities are used for target practice is beyond me.

Without getting into the entire conflict, Israel is perhaps our bestest ally not named Canada. Israel has a strong military, and has no qualms about using it the way they should...to defend their land, citizens, and interests. Sadly, a side effect of war is the death of innocents. Of course, Israel does not defend itself randomly, nor does it attack per chance.

See, many peaceniks, true simpletons of our time, feel Israel should respond to missile attacks by "turning the other cheek" and by doing nothing, except the prerequisite holding of hands, singing of folk songs, and such...which, by the way, was invented by the incredibly out of touch generation that spit on returning veterans, burned flags, and are now spending far more money than they are taking in, leaving the next in line to have to fix a debt crisis, because they are so damn much smarter than we are.

{pause to recover from long run on sentence, even though it's a minor crime compared to the world in which the other side has created, one poor decision after another}

On a cheat day today, and the Rambling wife wanted to try a new place called Brews Brothers, which is about a mile from us. They basically just have beer, burgers, fries, and chips. Good, but nothing revolutionary.

We were chatting about her and the Rambling son going up to her family's cabin next weekend, which I was aware of. However, I did not know that they were staying until Wednesday, and that she had taken time off.

I have never been to the cabin, because I am not a cabin person; and, years ago, I promised the Rambling dog he would never have to go to the boarding place again, because he hated it so. I would certainly not go every time, but once in a while I might, and will, once the Rambling dog is...no longer here. As I pointed out though, this time, I never even recall being asked. The Rambling wife then informed me that "the entire family is going to be there."

The irony is, she said it as if that makes it more appealing. Considering she has to sleep on a sofa, while the Rambling son bunks in a closet (like Harry Potter), I'm not sure my back would ever recover.

I am not a scout, but this guy will be a pretty darn good player. If he can play SS, he might be top ten at his position as soon as he gets to the bigs...which should be very quickly, as he's "27"...which might well be 29 or 30 in Cuban.

Theo is right, but it's hard to make an exception because SL's westernmost geography for deacdes widens their fan base.

There's a few Brewers' fans in MN, IA, IL, and so on. Most are probably WI transplants. Meanwhile, there are many, many Cards' fans in the entire Midwest and heck, the entie Mountain time zone due to the fact they used to be the only game in town, and KMOX was available on almost everyone's radio.

I find it astounding anyone is at all surprised by this. Every time we had anything out of the norm occur with the Rambling son, it was soon followed by finger pointing, firm denials of any responsibility, and suggestions we take him in for forms of testing. Every single person we talked to did not even try to hide the fact they were just trying to pass the buck, and just hoping the problem would go away.

When we informed his teacher, who never got around to teaching her students about half the curriculum she was supposed to (he still struggles with division, because they "took a break" from it about January and never returned to it), that he had chosen to attend a charter school, she smiled and said, "Oh. You know, he might fit in really good there," as if he was some sort of reject.

For all their talk of anti bullying, they are totally lost on how to deal with it. They just let it go, and then blame the victim. Sounds exactly like Seattle in the link above...well, maybe it will just blow over.

Seriously though, I think a lot of it might be simple...Arizona is the second most offensive environment in baseball, yet folks tend to ignore it. Add that to the fact ARI is decades behind everyone else in their use of analyticals, they simply have to plus pitching to be average.

If the Brewers did make a trade and pick up a reliever, it would be interesting to see whose roster spot the new guy would take...Kintzler is the only guy with an option (other than Smith), and Jeffress, after his 1.50 ERA in AAA, near minimum salary, and radar gun readings today, would have a dozen teams claiming him on waivers.

Doug is a confirmed velocity whore, and would have a tough time DFAing Jeremy, until he gets hit at least.

Brewers, through several managers, hardly ever allow a pitcher to get into trouble after 100 pitches. any teams think nothing of sending a SP out to start an inning with 114 pitches...very rarely does any SP of the Crew go more than 110. It's an organizational mantra.

Not sure if this is at all related to the Brewers having so few arm injuries in the past few seasons, but it can't hurt.

We'll see the debt double during Neville Obama's term, and folks look the other way, afraid to say anything. It's not racist to point out the guy has been over his head and completely out of touch since day one.

The fact they've cried wolf about it only shows their lack of ammunition. Sadly, they've pretty much made racism an outlier in instances where it actually does still occur.

Home plate ump might as well just make the call before the pitch is made. He's all over the place, has no idea. Braun was telling him that was not a strike earlier tonight. Heck, it isn't a strike half the time.

When the players still have no idea what the strike zone is in the 8th and 9th, you know the home plate ump is terrible.

It is simply off the charts how horrendously bad MLB umpires have become. They get half the calls wrong, as proven by instant replay (remember, you could do that well not watching the game and flipping a coin...that's what I said would happen, don't forget, while everyone else was stupidly saying replay would prove them right), and often still mess them up when able to view them on super slow motion.

How helpless are these fools?

Could they be any worse if they just started over? All these clods should just go away and reapply. They can't be worse than 50/50, it's mathematically impossible.

They have to get guys watching the replay that are not trying to protect the umpires. They just blew one of the most obvious mistakes you will ever see. Simply put, the guys in NY have no desire to get the call right, they just want to protect their buddy.

That guy should be fired on the spot. Quit pretending they're even trying to get them right. It appears the fools in NY forget we can see the same pics they are. That was clear as day, bat, then ball.

If KC decides to sell, Aoki returning would seemingly be a nice match.

SD is selling off pieces, and Chris Denorfia has played all three OF spots and, while not a perfect fit as a RH hiter, has held his own versus RHP (career 680 OPS vs. RHP, Schafer is 629 OPS vs. righties)

Doug, as he has since the season began, says he's looking to add to the bullpen and bench.

Did mention pickups of Durham and Hairston rather than bullpen pieces, so if you want to read between the lines a tad, might be suggesting he's a bit put off with the exorbitant asking prices for relief arms, and looking for a veteran SS or OF.

Selig said MLB plans to play games outside US and Canada next year,
multiple sites under consideration. Sources say London is one of them.

Needed for future growth, Bud is always looking forward...sadly, most in MLB look back, and refuse to be truthful when they do.

I think it's a huge benefit too, as if the games are played in that week before the season, it allows for more off days during the campaign, when you need them.
Hopefully, they will take the home games away from the lowest drawing teams, though I'm sure both teams are well compensated.

I would think Mexico City would be high on the list, and Japan, of course.

On message boards of late, I've seen suggestions that the Crew should try and pick up Kemp, Cliff Lee, and every other overpaid player in MLB.
What's amazing is, the Brewers have gone out of their way to avoid disastrous contracts, even the "bad ones" were not really that bad, forcing them only to eat half a season at $3-4M. So, folks think they should go out of their way to pick up others?

Lee is due $37M through '15 and has not proven he's healthy. At some point, PHIL will put him on waivers, and not a single team will claim him, afraid the Phillies will just let him go.

Today students spend more time on homework than ever recorded in history.--OMG Facts

And they're not doing a bit better on standardized tests. I think homework has become a bit of a crutch, as in "well, look at all the homework I give them!" Some of the best teachers I had in high school didn't give any homework. We also graded our tests in class (all except the essays), because as the one said, "Why should I do it for hours when we can do it in ten minutes." I always think of that when I hear about the long hours in teaching.

Beginning last July 23, the date of his first major-league home run,
Khris Davis (27) trails only Miami's Giancarlo Stanton (37) and
Atlanta's Justin Upton (28) among National League outfielders in homers.--JS

Davis' prowess is overlooked by almost everyone. He's simply been outstanding, and all those minor league "gurus" missed him.
They missed Scooter too.

Some would say that's giving up, I'd say it's wise pitcher management in a game the odds are against you anyway. If you close the gap, you play it differently. As is, they're just trying to limit the bullpen usage a bit.

The big thing was, he pitched well enough. We talked about getting a power arm since [injured relievers
Tyler] Thornburg and Henderson left, so that's the reason he's here. I
told him he's got an opportunity. Take advantage of it.--Doug Melvin

I will not have to think about such things, but if I did, I would leave the Rambling son just enough that he could live on it if he chose to live very simply, perhaps $30K a year (I'd purchase an annuity which gave him that sum for life), but in all likelihood, he would use that to supplement his income, buy a nicer house; go on longer, better vacations, whatever.

I believe it was Bill Gates that said he would not wish to "burden his kids with mega wealth." As silly as it sounds, I would agree.

Jeremy Jeffress will be the 34th player used by the Brewers this season. Only the Giants (32) have used fewer in MLB entering today.--Brewers PR

Casuals have no understanding of the depth needed. Every team uses at least ten more players than 25, and most will use 40+ (after all, rosters expand 9/1). I always giggle when people say so and so can be the 6th SP, and act as if that's all a team will need. Many use a dozen, and nearly every team needs 8-9. The fact the Crew has not (yet) is probably why they're in first place.

The timing of the Jeffress promotion is especially strange if MIL adds another arm (or when Henderson returns), as Kintzler is now the only one that can be optioned out (well, technically Smith could too). I think this may well have been a move to signify Doug and Gord doubt they can add another reliever at current asking prices.

Obviously, sometimes when you are in contention, you are unable to maintain the roster management like you would prefer.

I really enjoyed watching Jeffress pitch back in '10, great velocity and an Axford style huge curveball. Has always had trouble throwing strikes.

I also have to wonder if teams have asked Doug about Jeremy and said they wanted to put him in the majors. Doug is the type of guy who treats minor league vets very respectfully. He may have simply felt it was time to give him a chance or allow him to move on.

Jeremy Jeffress up, Wooten down, Henderson to the 60 day DL to make room.

Jeremy has been lights out in AAA since being signed as a minor league FA (don't burn bridges, boys) earlier this season.

A bit of a strange move, however, as Wooten has been plenty passable. His numbers were ruined for the most part as he had a Garza type outing, blooped and infield hit to death, though he pitched fine. Without that outing, his ERA would be far lower (it would be at 3.00). Rob certainly does not have the ceiling and "stuff" Jeffress does.

I do not know if Jeffress had an opt out clause in the deal he signed. It is also possible the Crew has looked at what's out there in the relief market and simply decided Jeffress is as good, or that they do not have the resources (that they want to give up) to trade for a reliever.

Jeffress is almost certainly out of options, so he will not be able to go back down. It's likely one chance and done, with the Brewers that is. Good luck to Rob, who will almost certainly go down, pitch well, and be back. Sadly, he is probably "correctly placed" in this exact role, middle reliever with options.

Asked the Rambling son if he needed any school supplies, as Menards is all but giving stuff away this week, including backpacks, which he needs a spare one of because they tend to fall apart after a few months. Since they do most of their stuff on the computer, they don't really use much "normal" stuff.

Rambling son: Um...I think just pens.

Me: Cheap ones OK? Like Bics?

{You laugh, but a couple years ago for Xmas, our son requested these fancy pens he still uses at home. They were $2 each. I never spend more than a dime for a pen since I lose several every day.}

Rambling son: That's fine.

Me: Pencils?

Rambling son: I suppose I should have a few. We're supposed to use them on some tests. I prefer mechanical.

The Astros only "problem" is with the old media, who hates the fact they are very numbers oriented and laughs in the face at "scrappy and gritty" players. Their rebuild is flying along, many expected them to lose 100+ this year as well, but they aren't far away from being mediocre.

What it is, of course, is a sign that penalizing success and rewarding not trying is, and will always, fail. Man has spent all but the past few centuries living day to day, month to month, in undeniable poverty. What ended that? Freedom and capitalism. Lessening regulations. Making it easier for those with big dreams and big ideas to succeed.

Obama does not believe in that. Remember, "you didn't build this." He, and his ilk, ignore history and insist if we all just pull together...despite centuries of proof it simply always fails.

I thought I'd throw this in...my Facebook is full of people that are always complaining about doing dishes and laundry. I rarely comment about such things, because not only is it mindnumbingly dull, but it's also off the charts that this is what people want others to think there life is like.

Of late, however, I have began to mention that the Rambling son, who just turned 12, has been doing our dishes and laundry for a couple years now. Actually, of course, he loads and unloads the dishwasher and washer/dryer, because they do all the work, it's not like anyone is washing clothes on a rock. I'm not sure why this is so difficult for folks to fathom, or why they don't take advantage of having free labor in their house.

Very strange, as Garza was removed after not allowing a ball hit anywhere near average, never mind hard. He had control issues, but he could have easily not given up a single hit, never mind run. Almost as if they took him out because he was so unlucky.

EDIT: Joe Block thinks it may have been because of high pitch count, 42. Health risk.

I think Doug is fully aware the "three quality prospects" he gave for Linebrink were nothing like the top couple the Angels shipped to SD. Joe Thatcher had a decent career as a loogy, but neither he or thew other two were top of the line.

Needless to day, Doug is not going to say, "I can't believe how much they gave for Street," though his admission that relievers are costly for the innings they pitch is very telling for a guy as tight lipped as Melvin.

Street trade ended up being a 4 for 2 swap...if one of them was some sort of "need for need" exchange, that still means SD got three youngsters...a top 2B, a very solid SP, and a SS who was in A+ ball and improving. All are very young, 23 or under.

Granted, Street was the best relief arm on the market, and he might have had that mythical closer ability that some feel exists. Still, compare his haul to what Doug gave for KRod...who had warts, but was still considered a very good closer when the Crew picked him up in '11. Goodness, the Padres got three prospects, and the Mets got a minor league journeyman loogy...with a tad bit of upside.

I'm not sure if the market is now simply valuing relievers more than then, or if, as some have suggested, cost controlled prospects do not have as much value because of the wealth of the game/huge revenue sharing that we have now. Either way, it's remarkable to consider this...SD may have got as much or more for Houston Street, who is projected to throw about 25 innings the rest of the way, as Cleveland did for CC Sabathia, who gave the Crew 130 in '08.

EDIT: Houston does have an option for next season as well. I'm sure that added quite a bit to his value.

One team to keep in mind if the Brewers do try and upgrade 1B is the Marlins, who have a pair of role players in Garrett Jones and Casey McGehee who would be upgrades, though small. Both are versatile, as Casey is mainly a 3B, while Jones can play LF/RF also.

I had no idea that Jones was a 824 OPS hitter for his career versus RHP, with an 806 OPS this season. Garrett would be a downgrade on defense, however.

I think it is probably a complex answer...it's similar to why bars used to give out free peanuts...makes you happy, makes you more likely to go there and order drinks. And to be honest, you can eat chips and salsa all day, they don't really fill you up. Also, it gives the customers something to do while they wait for their food, which is made especially for them and may be a tad slower than what folks are used to.

Also, I did not see it mentioned, but I assume the restaurant could easily make their entree serving a bit smaller because folks have already eaten something. Even if a heavy eater is dismayed due to the smallish serving, they can fill up with more chips! For example, I'm sure a steak quesadilla or almost any main dish costs far more than the wholesale price of corn chips and homemade salsa, which is tomatoes, onions, and spices, as cheap as almost anything.

Among the women up for the "conservative" chair on The View: Meghan McCain, SE Cupp (who will cohost next week) and Tammy Bruce, who supposedly was recommended by Sarah Palin, when Babs asked her if she would have any interest.

Cupp is tough and brilliant, and it would be hilarious watching her talk to Whoopi and Rosie, they of the "it wasn't rape rape" and "W ordered the World Trade Center destroyed" idiocy. I do not know Bruce at all, but since she's a friend of Sarah and a gay fiscal conservative, I think she'd be fine.

And, Meghan would look simply stunning surrounded by those old hags. I'm not saying she's dumb, but I don't think she'd get her point across like Cupp or Bruce.

The fact the old media ignores this day and instead chooses to worship this criminal as a messiah or hero tells anyone with common sense just how biased and far left they were and remain. I'm sure they'd feel the same way had a family member been the one Teddy willfully killed and then left to drown.

Rule 07:08--A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempt-

ing to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not.

If, however, the runner has contact with a legally occupied base when he hinders the fielder, he shall not be called out unless, in the umpire’s judgment, such hindrance, whether it occurs on fair or foul territory, is intentional. If the umpire declares the hindrance intentional, the following penalty shall apply: With less than two out, the runner and the batter shall be declared out.

I'm no expert, but it would appear they took several minutes to overturn a correct call with an incorrect one.

Made the Rambling son homemade mac and cheese for supper tonight. Baked some bacon to add to it, because everything is better with bacon. Baked fish sticks on the same cookie sheet. One stuck, so I left it. I plated up his meal, and then I pried the leftover fish stick off the bacon grease soaked pan and ate it.

While all the talk is about upgrading 1B, the Crew ranks 27th in OPS there...and 28th at SS...which includes Elian's 5-5 there on Sunday.

I get it, Jean is gifted and probably not going anywhere, though he's been well below average since last year's break. Just saying...an average SS could probably add a win or two to the Brewers' 2nd half win total.

He actually has hit RHP better the past 3.5 seasons, so a team signing him to platoon him is not an option. There may be some other types of "setting him up to succeed" scenarios a team could employ...his long swing is not conducive to good velocity, his only real attribute is power, so matching him up versus fly ball pitchers might be an idea; and he has had better numbers away from home since 2012, so maybe his park hurts him.

All that said, he's a bad defender and not exactly Mr. Friendly. You'd have to have very bad production at 2B to even consider him, and you would think anyone interested would require a couple weeks in AAA.

If you click on the link above, you'll see several contenders with weak 2B numbers (look at SD, by the way...lotsa pitchers do better than that)...I could imagine OAK or BAL taking a flyer...SF just got Scutaro back.

EDIT: CIN may look to Uggla, in a HR park with Phillips out, though Santiago has been superb in a tiny sample.

They insist he's brilliant, but Obama never seems to know anything about anything. He's just an inept civil servant. He's the guy at the toll booth who keeps giving out the wrong change. We now know men of all races and creeds can really suck at that job.

He's a venture socialist. He'll put his money into anything as long as it's your money. --Dennis Miller

I'm happy to pay taxes to help the helpless. I don't like paying taxes to help the clueless. Look at the Occupy movement...I'm forced to pay taxes to help those whose plight I delight in.--Dennis Miller

Melvin addressed two areas of perceived susceptibility: A bullpen
that has been stretched by injuries to right-handers Jim Henderson and Tyler Thornburg, and first base, where the Brewers have platooned Mark Reynolds and Lyle Overbay
and are next-to-last in the NL with a .662 OPS. "If we can get
[Henderson and Thornburg] back, they'll be a boost to our bullpen,"
Melvin said. "But we don't have a timetable. Jim is closer than Tyler at
this point."

On first base, Melvin cited the lack of availability at the position.
He praised Overbay for his clutch hitting and both players for their
quality defense. He also pointed out that, overall, the Brewers are
second in the NL in runs scored.--MLB.com

I don't see a lot of 1B available, to say the least, and those that may be have a year plus left on their deals. I especially like the folks who try and get a reliever and a 1B in the same trade...hard enough to find one, never mind both, in a single trade.
To be honest, I think they've been fine, though both have went through dry spells. As Doug points out, they have the best offense in the NL (the Rockies have scored more runs, but most of that is park factor related).

How can the planet heating up make it colder? Quit calling me a stupid SOB and answer that. When you don't answer it, it makes me think you're bluffing.

You know why it's hot sometimes? Because the sun is hot. Why? Because it's the sun. It was hot when I was a kid, and I was further away from it back then. When it's not hot, it's cold. The back and forth? That's weather.--Dennis Miller

I think kids are far too competitive, especially about crap that doesn't matter, like AP classes and foreign languages. And, you know, this is high school. I spent four years playing ping pong during study halls, reading magazines, and hoping dumb pretty girls sat next to me.

By the way, I didn't know "advanced gym classes" existed. Nor should they.

It sounds kind of silly, but Caleb Gindl is better (or every bit as good) than SEA's current OF's and Jack Z knows him...given he is in AAA, maybe a deal can be worked out. Caleb may be a poor man's Marlon Byrd, but he's got some pop and can play all three OF spots.

TheBrewers have claimed INF Irving Falu off waivers from San Diego and designated RHP Kevin Shackelford for assignment.--Brewers

Heh. That is one of the more puzzling moves I've seen in Doug's time in MIL. I would be guessing this is a move to help Nashville and would think Falu might well be DFA'd again to get him off the 40 man very soon, at least if a spot is needed...but then we read last night the Brewers may not have any chance to stay in Nashville.

Also, this could be related to Segura's situation, as MIL may have claimed Falu as an insurance policy of sorts before learning Jean was back...remember, Falu was said to be far superior to Herrera at SS.

Shackelford has K'd 10 batters in 28 IP since being promoted to AA, and is 25. He's a fringe prospect at this point, and was on the 40 solely for velocity protection. If the Crew makes any moves, we'll see a couple more guys taken off the 40, I'm sure, and Falu is likely to be one of them.

EDIT: I was wondering if Elian's five hit outburst may have him staying over Bianchi...Jeff would have to be DFA'd, and could again choose to be a FA. Could this be AAA SS insurance?

Probably not as likely as "Jean might be out a month, let's claim Irving," but possible.

EDIT 2: Another thought? Weeks is generating trade interest. That seems unlikely at best, given his $11M salary, even prorated at $4.5M, the Crew would have to pick up most of that, and as the RH half of a 2B platoon, Rickie is still plenty capable...though his defense appears to have regressed, made even more apparent by watching Scooter most days.

7/17/2014 12:38:00 PM

These are the good old days. Some folks are just too busy wishing the streets were paved with gold to enjoy the good times.

Whatever strikes me as
interesting, and serious Milwaukee Brewers thoughts. If you are a believer
in respecting OBP, throwing strikes, and keeping the ball in the park,
you may have found the place you've been searching for. I believe in low taxes, small government, and am not afraid to be labeled patriotic. If you are interested in sausage race results, walk up music, or professional wrestling, you may wish to click elsewhere.

I'm happy to pay taxes to help the helpless. I don't like paying taxes to help the clueless. Look at the Occupy movement...I'm forced to pay taxes to help those whose plight I delight in.--Dennis Miller

If you choose the path of terror, your life will be empty, and your life will be brief.--President Trump

Never have lives less lived been more chronicled.--Dennis Miller

I’m going to plead with you, do not cross us. Because if you do, the survivors will write about what we do here for 10,000 years.--Mad Dog Mattis

I have never understood why it is "greed" to want to keep the money you have earned but not greed to want to take somebody else's money.--Thomas Sowell